What a Difference a Day Makes

Life's simplest lessons are the easiest ones to forget.

Call us traditionalists. On Passover, you stay home…er…until this year.

With an irresistible offer, we took the plunge and decided to make our premier foray into the Passover hotel club.

We knew that our experience in the Hilton in St. Petersburg, Florida would probably border on the luxurious and even the epicurean. We had heard the reports of culinary opulence and had fielded the jealous ribbing about the inches we would certainly tack on.

"Get ready for the non-stop food orgy."

"You won't be hungry for a month!"

And boy, were they right.

We arrived on Thursday night, exhausted and spent from the packing and the trip. The bellman cheerfully loaded our 267 suitcases (we're a big family) onto a dolly and led us into the graceful lobby. There we were met by "The Greeter."

"Just let Andre deliver the bags upstairs. Come out to the pool area for the Mexican-style BB-Q. You must be starving."

Maybe ‘starving' was stretching it a bit, but we did follow our noses and moseyed on out to the pool for a bite or two.

Well, put it this way: I had never seen so many rib steaks in my life. I'm talking hundreds… many hundreds. The grills were spitting them out faster than I could say, "Medium rare, please." And don't forget the burgers and the hot dogs and the salads and the fries and just about anything else you could possibly imagine. We had it all.

What a strange feeling it was. Even in today's age of pampering and overindulgence, we were still strangers to this degree of excess. Not that we were complaining, mind you. I just sat back and watched my family -- from oldest to toddler -- heap on the food to their hearts' content. It was fun. And little did we know -- that was just the beginning.

But it wasn't just the volume, variety, and savor of the food; it was also the delivery system that we relished. Our delivery system was named Yuri. He came from Moldavia.

To say that he was a waiter would be unfair. Not after he waited on us -- our ENTIRE HUMONGOUS family -- for every single meal over Passover for 11 days in a row! No, he was much more than that because he attended to our every beck and call -- and, believe me, there were many becks and many calls.

I suppose that the chief credit goes to the caterer and his staff of chefs and bakers, who spared no expense or effort in making sure we were wined and dined. But like the stand up comic who grabs the limelight delivering his writers' peels of humor, Yuri gained our adulation and adoration with his constant attention to our every need.

"More soup, Rabbi?"

"Something for the children?"

"Is the wine sufficiently chilled?"

I guess that's what it's like to have a butler -- a taste of true freedom for Passover. Amazing.

But all good things come to an end. It was time to pack our 267 suitcases for tomorrow's journey home.

But all good things come to an end. Sunday night arrived, the Passover experience was over, and it was time to pack our 267 suitcases for tomorrow's journey home. Later that night, I took a final walk through the hotel that we called home for the holiday. I walked by the kitchen, the same kitchen that had created and delivered 11 days of food to nearly 700 guests. I looked on as the exhausted staff diligently bundled up the crates of leftover paper goods, jammed the hundreds of over-sized pots and pans into over-sized containers, and tossed the remaining usable foodstuffs into cans and boxes. Enormous trucks awaited them in the parking lot. Everything had gone exactly according to plan.

Our flight on AirTran was scheduled to leave Tampa at 6:10 PM on Monday. Most of the other guests had earlier flights that same day. Playing the role of diligent, organized traveler, I checked the website at about noon and learned that the flight would be delayed, due to New York weather, and would leave at 8 PM. No surprise there. Nowadays when a flight is on time, you get suspicious.

The clan spent some final hours soaking up the Florida rays and re-assembled in the lobby for our uneventful trip to the airport. I planned to arrive 90 minutes before the flight -- at 6:30 -- and checked one last time with the AirTran automated flight departure recording. Nothing had changed… no further delay… 8 PM departure.

At 6:28 the van pulled up at the terminal. Presenting my documents to the agent, I breathed a sigh of relief that all had gone smoothly. And then it happened.

"Maybe so," he countered, "but we just got a ‘window' so we're taking off now!"

I stared in shock for a moment, tried some useless arguments and realized it was futile.

"Now what?" I ventured.

The agent typed some codes and stuff into his console and unceremoniously rendered the news. "Next available flight for your family would be Wednesday at 5 PM."

"You must be kidding," I chided. "That's two days from now!"

"Sorry, that's the best I can do for you."

A few minutes of strategic negotiations and a lot of begging yielded a re-booking
for Tuesday evening, but that still meant re-loading our 267 suitcases back on the van, returning to the Hilton, and checking in to new rooms for the night. Silently we rode back to the hotel.

Andre was still there, but "The Greeter" was gone. So were the steaks… and the fries… and the soda… and everything and everyone else. The scintillating aroma of barbeque smoke had been replaced by the pungent smell of rug shampoo. The trash containers were either empty or re-assigned. The hotel staff, vast and over-friendly just hours ago, was suddenly sparse and bleak.

Minutes later, the hunger struck. What would we eat? A kosher restaurant in St. Petersburg was nowhere to be found. And no one among us had thought of hoarding any provisions for the short flight home. You know how it is. Hours ago we swore we "could never again put another morsel of food in our over-stuffed bellies." Now we were famished and panicked.

"Is there a supermarket near here," I frantically questioned the bellman?

"Sure. Five minute walk there's a Publix. But I think it closes in 20 minutes."

Five of us screeched out the door and made a bee line for the Promised Land of Publix.

Like a pack of eighth grade kids exiting the building when the final bell sounds, five of us screeched out the door and made a bee line for the Promised Land of Publix. Three minutes later I was sweating and standing in front of a shelf of four jars of Manischewitz Gefilte Balls in heavy fish broth. To me they looked like red snapper almandine slices in chardonnay sauce. I grabbed them.

I careened around the bend to the cracker and cookie aisle and uttered a silent, fervent prayer that one package would bear a kosher symbol on the wrapper. God was merciful -- vanilla biscuits. My mind said, "Seven layer cake."

Next came the fruit -- apples, oranges, bananas, and about eight pounds of grapes more than we could consume. Then the granola bars, some old looking burger buns, very large boxes of cereals, some plastic plates and cutlery, and loads of drinks. We were set.

Very slowly and laden with our sustenance we trudged back to the hotel. The return trip took a lot more than five minutes. We all sat down to eat.

We looked but Yuri could not be found.

No, the Salomon family did not starve that day or the day after. And yes, we did actually board a plane and arrived home safe and sound. But we did learn a very poignant and very obvious lesson.

God giveth and God taketh away. Never forget that. Every crumb of sustenance comes from Above.

Enjoy and appreciate every single thing you have. Every bowl of soup, every smiling face, every day of sunshine, every sock you wear, and every Yuri in your life.

Featured at Aish.com:

About the Author

Rabbi Yaakov Salomon, C.S.W. is a noted psychotherapist, in private practice in Brooklyn, N.Y. for over 25 years. He is a Senior Lecturer and the Creative Director of Aish Hatorah's Discovery Productions. He is also an editor and author for the Artscroll Publishing Series and a member of the Kollel of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath.

In these marvelous stories -- brimming with wit, understanding, a touch of irony and a large helping of authentic Torah perspective -- we will walk with a renowned and experienced psychotherapist and popular author through the pathways of contemporary life: its crowded sidewalks, its pedestrian malls, and the occasional dead end street. This is a walk through our lives that will be fun, entertaining -- and eye-opening. In our full -- sometimes overfull -- and complex lives, Yaakov Salomon is a welcome and much-needed voice of sanity and reason.

His speaking, writing and musical talents have delighted audiences from Harvard to Broadway and everything in between. Rabbi Salomon shares his life with his wife, Temmy, and their unpredictable family.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 14

(14)
yossi,
June 30, 2008 4:09 PM

One more lesson

Another possible lesson hit me forcefully while reading this article:

When we live our lives here, we have to be cognizant that in the next world we will only have the provisions we prepared in this world.
Even though we are living it up now, we had better have some good things prepared for the 'day after'.

(13)
debi rubin,
June 21, 2008 8:43 AM

we must be together forever

I really dont know why people dont think that there is not a place for all doing the hoilday season. I live in north miami and there is a place for all in this place in the sun. All you have to so is to call up any temple in the town( yes look in the yellow pages ) and you can get a place to share a passover meal, or call up the local JCC and they can help you too. My temple has a sader both nights and it is great to have people who have no place to go. Why do we open the door during the meal? if there is a
person at your door you must invite him/her in for a meal( that is a Jewish law) so lets get real and open all of are doors every day for the rest of our lifes

(12)
avraham,
June 20, 2008 12:54 PM

I was there and there was much more than food...

I was very disappointed by this article. I am surprised that Rabbi Salamon would only focus on the food aspects of the program.

I was there with my family, and I can tell you that the food (although it was outstanding) was not the most important part of the program's success. The shiurim were first rate, the ruach was unbelievable, the chevra was warm and down-to-earth, the programming was innovative and enjoyable, and the EdenTours hosts very accomodating and haimish. For us, it was one of the most uplifting and inspiring Pesach experiences of our lives. To only focus on the food and the unfortunate incident afterwards, misleads others to think that these types of programs are all about stuffing yourselves for ten day and getting back on a plan. For us, it was much more meaningful and spiritual than that. Besides, it was a well-deserved break for my wife, and a chance for our extended family to be together and enjoy Yom Tov in a pleasant, safe atmosphere, and to experience alot of growth and inspiration as well.

(11)
Anne,
June 19, 2008 8:31 PM

I agree with Nechama

When I read Rabbi Y. Salomon's piece here it made me very sad......

(10)
Anonymous,
June 19, 2008 3:44 PM

What about Kehilla?

I'm surprised. Although there is not a huge orthodox contingency here, there are options. If you had called a local rabbi (and there is a Chabad in St Pete, South tampa, etc)...you would have been welcomed with the same hospitality that Avraham extended to guests in the desert. You could have asked where the kosher market (in St. Pete) is...there are families who would have welcomed you to our leftovers. How quickly we forget the Jewish People, our communities as a resource.

(9)
Nechama,
June 19, 2008 2:29 AM

MORE LESSONS

The lesson you cited is indeed profound and we should all take it to heart.
However, there's something about these Passover get-aways that troubles me greatly. I sincerely don't believe that Hashem wants us to live so opulently evern for a week when there are so many impoverished people out there. I don't mean not to have a good time and I don't mean not to eat delicious food in satisfying amounts, I mean opulence in the full sense of the word. My brother in law went to one of these Passover bashes and he jokingly said to the organizer that he had been disappointed. When the organizer asked why my brother in law replied that there had been no food in the elevator. Of course they all had a good laugh but I think it was a sad one. If you can afford it enjoy, by all means, but don't forget there should be a limit. The One above looks down at us and at all those hungry peoople, he sees all the left over food on the tables, all the fancy deserts that are half eaten and wind up in the garbage can, all the people who come home sick and overweight and then looks down on the family who couldn't serve meat every day and who had to save up just to buy matzos. (I can give you a list of families in Jerusalem and other places if you like.)
This is something to think about.

(8)
Anonymous,
June 18, 2008 8:47 PM

congratulations

|Iread twice this article because it has a double message one is in our eyes we can see that hashem is the One who moves every piece of the world and we are nothing and every time we have an experience like this we have to be grateful to Him we have all his help with us in every moment of our life we can see his hand

(7)
Shmuel, Aliza,
June 17, 2008 5:50 PM

All we can say is,.....

Having just read this article proves even more that Man plans Hashem laughs..Every day we wonder what will the day bring....We just don't know what it will bring....Whether it's being stuck in an unknown country,an unknown destination....We just have to remember that HaKodesh Baruch Hu is with us, that is only if we let....He wants to hear our pleas and our Bakashos....No matter what, we as a Jewish Nation are Never alone....

(6)
shells,
June 17, 2008 4:57 AM

thank YOU Rabbi

for this very humble reminder and for sharing it with us like you have. for not only have you shared a valuable lesson, you shared it from your heart and your own experience that enabled you to share it with us.... for as we know... we all are Children of G-d... all always learning from His chosen life experiences and regardless of the role He has given us... we always need to share and grow together as ONE so that we can help each other learn also to sow and grow... shalom x love and blessings always x

(5)
Doris,
June 16, 2008 12:52 AM

Souds so real!

Yes, your story is an everyday story. It's been happening to every generation and I'm not an exception. Thank you for reminding me to keep my eyes open to see and enjoy the moments of life and happily remember them when they are gone.

(4)
Marsha,
June 15, 2008 11:02 AM

Having spent many years in various Pesach programs, hearing about the food and service did not surprise me. My shock is at the airline, and I do hope you (Rabbi Salomon) wrote and complained. That they would change a schedule and then at the last minute change it back is unacceptable, even in this day of customer service being an oxymoron. I would never, ever fly that airline again! And THEY should have paid for your unexpected night in Florida. I'd get a lawyer!

(3)
Marni Levin,
June 15, 2008 8:47 AM

So true!

Yes, we do need to appreciate what we have when we have it. For example, my workplace offered free Hebrew classes with an amazing teacher. I loved going and learned so much, but then there were times when I was too busy or too lazy to go. Then the classes and amazing teacher came to an end. How I regret now not going every time when I had the chance!

(2)
ruth housman,
June 15, 2008 8:37 AM

the comedy of life

Hi, it's interesting I just opened this story because my husband so wanted to be here yesterday as we had special concert tickets and he had arranged for a whirlwind flight to Spain for his work and then an Air France flight to land him in Boston just in time. It happened the Air France flight was grounded indefinitely in Paris. Yes, there are worse things that can happen. He wound up speding the night at the airport hotel and called just this morning from Paris. To add insult to injury he told me he had to stand in line a long time to make this call and only got through on the third call. Then I inadvertently brushed my head against my phone and we were cut off! ALAS! And it's Father's Day. We were scheduled at my daughter-in-law's for a gala barbecue and celebration of Dads.

I was thinking about all things Spanish and the word is, of course, HISPANIC. Then a light went off and the word split into HIS PANIC. And surely it was.

Of course you are so right. We need to enjoy the honey when it comes. Also we can make light of these wonderful stories. It's that comedy of life and it gives us as I have said, such wonderful stories to tell each other! This is truly the Age of Narrative and I am saying on a most rainy day that is Father's Day here in the Boston area: "HE" Reigns!

(1)
Lori Palatnik,
June 15, 2008 7:57 AM

Having shared Passover with the Salomons (whose family seemed to grow each day we were there), AND having shared Yuri the incredible gentle giant of a waiter, I enjoyed every word of this article. But more than anything, I enjoyed listening to the many words of inspiring Torah that Rabbi Salmon shared with the hundreds of attendees. We, and my children (who are the harshest critics) became even bigger fans. Thank you Rabbi!

My Christian friends are always speaking about “faith.” To me this sounds a lot like blind faith. Is that really the essence of religion?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

I'm afraid that this is another case of a Christian concept being mis-associated with Judaism.

Let's first define our terms. What is faith?

Webster defines faith as "Belief without proof."

What is knowledge? "An acquaintance with truth, facts or principles through study or investigation."

Faith is usually a product of desire. Have you ever gotten a tip on the market that guarantees you're going to triple your money in a month? A lot of smart people have gotten fleeced because they ignored the evidence and went with their feelings.

Knowledge, on the other hand, is based on evidence. We know there's a place called China because we have too many products in our house saying "made in China." There's a lot of evidence for the existence of China, even though most of us have never been there.

Judaism unequivocally comes down on the side of knowledge, not faith. In Deuteronomy 4:39, the Torah says: "You shall know this day, and understand it well in your heart, that the Almighty is God; in the heaven above and the earth below, there is none other." (This verse is also contained in the prayer, "Aleynu.")

This verse tells us that it is not enough to simply know in your head, intellectually, that God is the Controller of everything. You must know it in your heart! This knowledge is much more profound than an intellectual knowledge. God gave us a brain because he wants us to think rationally about the world, our role in it, and our relationship with God.

A conviction based on desire or feelings alone has no place in Judaism. The Hebrew word "emunah," which is often translated as faith, does not describe a conviction based on feelings or desire. It describes a conviction that is based on evidence.

Once this knowledge is internalized, it effects how a person lives. A person with this knowledge could transform every breathing moment into a mitzvah, for he would do everything for the sake of the heaven. But this is not a "knowledge," that comes easily. Only intensive Torah learning and doing mitzvahs can achieve this knowledge. Every word of Torah we learn moves us just a little bit closer to that goal. And everyone is capable of that.

To learn more, read "The Knowing Heart," by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Feldheim.com). This entire book is an explanation of this verse!

In 350 BCE, the building of the second Holy Temple was completed in Jerusalem, as recorded in the biblical Book of Ezra (6:15). The re-building of the Temple had begun under Cyrus when the Persians first took over the Babylonian empire. The re-building was then interrupted for 18 years, and resumed with the blessing of Darius II, the Persian king whom is said to be the son of Esther. The Second Temple lacked much of the glory of the First Temple: There was no Ark of the Covenant, and the daily miracles and prophets were no longer part of the scenery. The Second Temple would stand for 420 years, before being destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.

You shall know this day and consider it within your heart(Deuteronomy 4:39).

Business people who are involved in many transactions employ accountants to analyze their operations and to determine whether or not they are profitable. They may also seek the help of experts to determine which products are making money and which are losing. Such studies allow them to maximize their profits and minimize their losses. Without such data, they might be doing a great deal of business, but discover at the end of the year that their expenditures exceeded their earnings.

Sensible people give at least as much thought to the quality and achievement of their lives as they do to their businesses. Each asks himself, "Where am I going with my life? What am I doing that is of value? In what ways am I gaining and improving? And which practices should I increase, and which should I eliminate?"

Few people make such reckonings. Many of those that do, do so on their own, without consulting an expert's opinion. These same people would not think of being their own business analysts and accountants, and they readily pay large sums of money to engage highly qualified experts in these fields.

Jewish ethical works urge us to regularly undergo cheshbon hanefesh, a personal accounting. We would be foolish to approach this accounting of our very lives with any less seriousness than we do our business affairs. We should seek out the "spiritual C.P.A.s," those who have expertise in spiritual guidance, to help us in our analyses.

Today I shall...

look for competent guidance in doing a personal moral inventory and in planning my future.

With stories and insights,
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